LEE COUNTY, Fla. — Sanibel and Captiva Islands are known for having some of the most pristine beaches along the Gulf Coast, but they’re also known for their miles and miles of breathtaking bike trails.

This week’s Florida on a Tankful takes you to Billy’s Bike Shop, a staple on Sanibel Island, where you get set up to take on the twists and turns of nature.


What You Need To Know

  • Billy's Bike Shop offers bike rentals for tourists to explore the island

  • The bike shop has a number of different styles of bikes depending on how you want to see the island

  • Billy’s Bike Shop is open seven days a week from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Billy first started his business venture in the 1980s, selling chairs, umbrellas, and bikes along the beaches.

When his business started booming, he opened a bike shop, which now has two locations on Sanibel Island. More than 20 years later, Billy is still the same charming local that you’ll find in the shop almost every day.

“I think it’s all about customer service and when people remember you when they come back, that means you’ve been doing something right,” he said.

His shop has hundreds of bikes that vary in styles depending on how you want to see and explore the island, which boasts some of the best biking trails on the Gulf Coast that take you beach side or through the Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge.

All the natural beauty you can explore is why Billy and his family put down roots, becoming an iconic shop on the island.

Billy’s Bike Shop is open seven days a week from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.